Bobbin grip and strap



Jan. 2, 196 J. J. KAUFMANN, JR

BOBBIN GRIP AND STRAP Filed Sept. 27, 1960 INV EN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,015,347 ?atented Jan. 2, 1962 3,015,347 BOBBIN GRIP AND STRAP John J. Kaufmann, Jr., Greenville, S.C., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Paris, S.C., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 58,818 7 Claims. (Cl. 139207) This invention relates to shuttles and more particularly to an adjustable bobbin grip and strap arrangement.

The proper alignment of the bobbin within a shuttle is recognized as being an important factor in the weaving of cloth. In certain types of weaving proper bobbin alignment is critical. Often grips of standard type wear so that the grooves allow the tip of the bobbin to drop out of proper alignment. In some cases this dropping of the bobbin becomes excessive after only a short period of operation so that it becomes necessary to replace the grip just as it is beginning its useful life. Many attempts have been made to solve this problem including shimming or bending the gripping jaws, but these attempts have been unsuccessful. Formerly, it was customary to replace the grip either when the wear causes the bobbin tip to drop an amount which exceeds a given limit or when the drop is so excessive as to cause defects or poor operation of the shuttle.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an adjustable grip and strap arrangement so that the grip can be conveniently adjusted as required to obtain the full useful life of the bobbin grip.

An important object of the invention is to provide a bobbin grip and strap arrangement so that vertical adjustment of the grip and the bobbin carried thereby can be accomplished by a simple manipulation in the mill without extensive working of the grip.

Another object of this inpention is to accomplish vertical adjustment of the grip by employing a ramp or inlined surface in connection with the bottom plate of the strap.

Another object of this invention is to accomplish a vertical adjustment of the bobbin without the use of additional moving parts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vertical adjustment of the grip and bobbin in such a way that the adjustment will be positive and provide the necessary strength and rigidity to withstand the vibration imparted thereto by the weaving operation.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a grip and strap arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention positioned within a shuttle cavity and bobbin chamber,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, illustrating a device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FlGURE 3 is a perspective view illustrating a bottom plate of a strap constructed in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the bobbin grip and strap arrangement includes a ramp or inclined surface A, preferably formed by striking up the marginal portions of the bottom plate of the strap. The inclined surface or ramp A is carried by the forward portion of the bottom plate and accommodates a complementary inclined surface B carried by the lower portion of the grip. It is apparent that relative movement between the surfaces A and B will cause the gripper springs to be raised or lowered as desired, such adjustment depending upon the relative positions of the surfaces A and B.

A preferred embodiment of the improved bobbin grip and strap is illustrated positioned within a shuttle 10 of the type in which empty bobbins are automatically replaced with full bobbins when the yarn becomes exhausted. The bobbin receiving chamber 11, which is centrally disposed, accommodates a bobbin or quill 12 illustrated in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the bobbin i2 is shown in lowered position resulting from the wearing of the grooves 13 of the gripper spring arms 14. An important object of this invention is to provide means for raising the gripper spring arms 14 as illustrated by the dotted line position of the arms 14- shown in FIGURE 2 so as to raise the bobbin to the raised position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2 at 12.

The bobbin grip and strap arrangement is positioned Within the shuttle cavity 15 and the gripper spring arms 14 extend into the bobbin receiving chamber 11 as described above. The bobbin grip includes a U-shaped shank portion 16 which is joined to the forwardly extending substantially parallel gripper spring arms 14 by arcuate portions 14a. On the inner portions of the gripper springs 14, which extend into the bobbin receiving chamber 11, are a plurality of aligned vertically disposed grooves 13 for accommodating the bobbin rings 12a carried by the base 12b of the bobbin 12.

The bobbin strap includes a top plate 17 having a forwardly extending downwardly inclined portion 17a and 2. depending portion 17b integral therewith. The downwardiy inclined portion serves during the automatic bobbin change operation as a guide for the butt 12b of the bobbin so as to guide the rings 12a into position within the grooves 13 or" the gripper springs 14. The strap also includes a bottom plate 18 which has a shank portion the and a forward portion 1812 which flares outwardly and is defined by arcuate sides extending outwardly so that the forward edge is adjacent the depending portions 17b. The depending portions 17b in some cases are integral with the bottom plate 23.

The top plate 17 of the strap is joined to the bottom plate 18 by the strap bolt 19 so as to confine therebetween the shank portion 36 and the arcuate portion 14a of the grip. The cross bolt 23 serves to confine the shank portions 16 within the shuttle cavity 15. Thus, the strap bolt 19 and the cross bolt 2% positively position the bobbin grip and strap arrangement within the shuttle cavity 15 and the bobbin receiving chamber 11.

It will be noted that the marginal edges of the forward portion 18b of the bottom plate 18 are struck up as at 21 to form an inclined surface or ramp A as mentioned above. The ramp A extends or inclines downwardly away from the bobbin chamber 11. Av complementary inclined surface B is formed in the lower portion of the arcuate grip portion 14a and a portion of the gripper spring arms 14 as by the cutout 22.

It should be noted that when the forward surface of the bottom plate 18 is in engagement With the forward portion of the cutout defining the surface B, that the surfaces A and B are in substantially continuous contact, but that when the bottom plate 18 is pushed rearwardly the grip is raised so that the gripper spring arms 14 are raised a desired amount to raise the tip of the bobbin 12. The shank 16 of the grip is caused to pivot about the cross bolt 2%) during the adjusting operation. It is very preferable that the grip be provided with the cutout 22, described above, to define the inclined surface B so that V the grip will have a greater range of movement, but it is apparent that the bottom surface of the grip need not necessarily be inclined as shown.

The desired rearward mo ement of the bottom plate 18 is accomplished byloosening the strap bolt 19 and :placinga sharp instrument '(not shown) through the opening 23in the top'plate and engaging same in the the forward portion of the surface A. This provides a firm support so that the gripper spring arms 14 will be positively andfirmly positioned. The wear on the parts is minimized because there are-no additional moving parts since-all ofthe parts of the grip'and strap are preferably integral.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG- URE 4 in which like reference characters are used to designate like parts with prime notations added. The modified bottom plate 18' has a shank 18a with a slot 25 to accommodate the strap bolt 19. The inclined surface or ramp A is constructed by the addition of a wedge shaped portion 21', preferably formed integrally with the bottom plate 18. An opening 24' is provided for adjusting the position of the bottom plate 18.

-If desired the bottom surface of the shuttle cavity may be suitably inclined (not shown) to accommodate a bottom plate inclined a commensurate amount. Thus the upper surface of the bottom plate would form the inclined surface or ramp being supported by the shuttle.

Whilea preferred embodiment of the invention has been described usingspecific terms, such description is for-illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shuttle having a shuttle cavity and a bobbin chamber a strap and a grip, the improvement including,

.a bottom plate having an inclined surface which extends downwardly away from the bobbin chamber, and a grip :having a complementary inclined surface on the lower portion of the grip, said bottom plate being adjustably 4 mounted relative to said grip whereby relative movement between the inclined surfaces results ina vertical adjustment of the grip.

2. In a shuttle having a shuttle cavity and a bobbin chamber a strap including a bottom plate and a grip including gripper springs'fixed bya cross bolt within the shuttle cavity and the bobbin chamber, the improvement including, a bottom plate having an inclined surface which extends downwardly away fromthe bobbinchamber bearing upon the lower portion of the grip, said bottom plate being adjustable, whereby movement of the bottom plate causes the grip to pivot about the cross bolt to raise or lower the grippersprings.

3. A bobbin grip and strap having a top plate and a bottom plate arrangement including, a ramp carried by the forward portion of the-bottom plate, and an inclined surface carried by the lower portion of the grip and being complementary to the ramp and in engagementtherewith, said bottom plate being adjustably mounted whereby relative movement between the ramp and the inclined surface results in a vertical-adjustment of the grip.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, in which the top plate has an opening, and in which the bottom plate has a complementary opening, whereby-a sharp instrument may gain access to the complementary opening through the opening in the top plate for moving the-bottom plate with respect to the grip.

5. The structureset forth in claim 3, in which said ramp is formed by struck up marginal portions of the bottom plate. 7

6. The structure set forth in claim 3, inwhich said ramp is formed by the addition of a wedge shaped portion integral with said bottomplate.

7. In a shuttle having a shuttle cavity and a bobbin chamber a strap including a bottom plate, and a grip,

the improvement including a ramp formed by the upper surface of the bottom plate, said grip and said bottom plate being capable of relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other, whereby such movement results in a vertical adjustment of 'thegrip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,140 Kaufmann Jan. 9, 1951 2,778,381 Collins Jan. .22, 1957 2,788,024 Bousquet Apr. 9, 1957 

